The reboot of the TV series "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" will make its network debut Saturday morning on NBC.
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Co-hosts Peter Gros and Rae Wynn-Grant star in “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild.” They are shown in California’s Mojave Desert.
Get wild with 9 books about the animal kingdom
Wild reads
Animals are a continuous source of infatuation and fascination for us. That curiosity has led to copious amounts of scientific research. After all, it is important to understand how these different species work and interact with our world alongside us.
But some of these studies go far beyond simply noting these species names and natural habitats. We crave a deeper understanding of these animals — how much do we understand about them, and how much do they understand about us?
‘Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty, and Achieve Peace’
By Carl Safina (Henry Holt and Co.)
Our society’s concept of culture is a complex tapestry of traditions from family recipes to specific holidays. But animals have their own traditions, too. Tactics honed over countless generations in an effort to continue the species’ survival have become customary in these wildlife societies.
‘Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?’
By Frans de Waal (W.W. Norton & Company)
Many pet owners will proudly tell you that their Fido or Mittens is one smart cookie. But breaking into the locked cabinet for treats doesn’t mean that animals are capable of human-level intelligence … right?
‘Your Pet, Your Pill: 101 Inspirational Stories About How Pets Lead You to a Happy, Healthy and Successful Life’
By Margit Gabriele Muller (HSH Press)
Animals can teach us far more than an understanding of their world — our beloved pets can also teach us more about ourselves. Lauded veterinarian Margit Gabriele Muller packs 101 incredible stories into this inspiring book. From a burn victim healing through her trauma thanks to her pet birds to a 7-year-old finding comfort in a three-legged dog that shares his own disability, every story pulls at the heart and drives home how much our pets can heal our souls.
‘Chimpanzee Culture Wars: Rethinking Human Nature alongside Japanese, European, and American Cultural Primatologists’
By Nicolas Langlitz (Princeton University Press)
In the 1950s, Japanese zoologists noticed that a group of macaques developed a new food-washing technique and spread the knowledge throughout their ranks. If these primates could communicate and teach this learned behavior through their group, scientists wondered: What does this mean for the previous notions of animals’ social intelligence?
‘How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals’
By Sy Montgomery (Mariner Books)
In this New York Times bestselling memoir, naturalist and adventurer Sy Montgomery ruminates on the animal relationships throughout her life, from her own pets to the wildlife she’s studied around the world. She introduces us to pinktoe tarantulas, octopi and tigers — but also her pet pig Christopher Hogwood and other beloved companions. As she recalls these 13 animals — their triumphs, struggles and how they worked their way into her heart — she shows how friendship can transcend different species to create a truly memorable connection.
‘When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals’
By Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson and Susan McCarthy (Delacorte Press)
Authors Masson and McCarthy earned famed primatologist Jane Goodall’s endorsement of their sensational book “When Elephants Weep,” a compilation of studies that will change the way you think about animals. In this eye-opening publication, a myriad of studies show the range of animals’ emotions.
‘We Walk Beside You: Animal Messages for an Awakening World’
By Sandra Mendelson (Little Black Paws Publishing)
In 2012, while doing body work on a horse, Sandra Mendelson received a series of messages from her equine client that dismantled her entire understanding of human versus nonhuman capabilities, perception and spiritual awareness. This exchange set her life on a course she could never have predicted. Over the next several years, more than 50 species stepped forward to share what they want humans to know.
‘When Animals Speak: Toward an Interspecies Democracy’
By Eva Meijer (NYU Press)
From wolves howling to birds chirping, we know that animals can communicate with each other to a certain extent. But just how complicated is their language?
